Imperial Affairs (Levi X Reader) AU

49. Formalities

Reader's POV

"What?" Niccolo breathed out after a few moments of silence.

"I found another Ackerman," I repeated myself, "She is from the Underground. She's Levi's mother."

"Hah?" Niccolo was confused, "So he left his mother alone when he was coming up here?"

"Oh, no," I shook my head, "They were separated. I don't know for how long but they were."

"This is great news," Ymir seemed pleased, "We now have two Ackermans that we can hand over. The family head will surely owe you for the rest of his life."

"Yes," I nodded, "And that's partly why I came here early. I had to crash the party and also see the family head who would most likely be there for the engagement party of a potential heir to the Empire that is his biggest customer. And I also had to apolo-apolo-apolo...."

"Apologise," Armin said the word for me.

"Yes," I accepted, "To father."

"No," Erwin objected to my way of talking, "If you can't even say the word 'apologise' then how are you going to apologise to the Emperor when the time comes?"

"I...can do it...."

"Of course you can!" Armin encouraged, "You have apologised plenty of times before! You can do it this time, too!"

"But then she wasn't apologising in front of a crowd of judgemental nobles," Marlowe defended me, "And she had to take medicines for heart pain after apologising."

"But how will you crash the party?" Armin inquired.

"I will dress better than Hannah and Franz combined," I said before quoting, "You know what they say. 'If you can't beat them, dress better than them.'"

"I think that that's just your personal quote," Ymir crossed her arms.

"Your Highness has no other option than to apologise," Erwin got back to the more important topic, "Does Your Highness wish to practise?"

"What did I say about the honorifics?"

"Your Highness already gave us the information," Erwin continued giving the others ideas as well, "What threat could Your Highness possibly use now?"

"Alright," I sighed, deciding to use the last resort I had kept secret for years, "Your Lordship."

"E-excuse me?" Erwin was flustered; the first time I had seen him flustered in a long time.

"What is the matter, Lord Smith?" I acted innocent, "I use honorifics with all nobles who treat me distantly."

"Please stop that, Your Highness," Erwin felt highly uneasy just like I had felt all these years but got used to it.

"Your Lordship," I threatened, "I do remember you asking me to treat others how they treated me. Now I see that your Lordship is unhappy with this. May I ask why?"

"I am no lord," Erwin tightly shut his eyes and I could see the tiredness written all over his face.

"Yes, you are, Marquess Smith," I hissed, "After all the people I had to owe to get your Marchy back, the least you could do is accept it and drop the honorifics with me."

"Your Highness just said that I am to serve you for the rest of my life and after," Erwin didn't relent, "I don't see how I can manage a Marchy while I am managing a prince's palace and taking on some of the work of the master of the palace that she, herself, is responsible to do."

"So that is the problem," I narrowed my eyes, "That is quite easy to solve. Hire a butler of your own."

"I would much rather prefer not to burden another person while I am carrying similar burdens of my own and know how nerve wracking it feels."